Advanced TV Herstory – Details, episodes & analysis

I love to talk TV and I really enjoy every exchange with Susan and Sharon, otherwise known as the 80s TV Ladies. When their podcast, 80s TV Ladies, launched, they invited me to be a guest. It was a blast and over the last two years, the two podcasts have furthered a shared exploration of how women have been represented on television and the impact that representation has had on society as a whole and females, of all ages, in particular. Like Advanced TV Herstory, their show features interviews and analyzes the work of women both in front of and behind the camera.

Our podcasts aim to help listeners understand how our culture shapes the television shows we watch and, in turn, how those shows shape our culture. Listen in on this engaging and informative look behind the scenes as we discuss the motivations, joys, and challenges of creating podcasts that highlight the contributions of women in television.

80s TV LADIES

Contacts

Website – 80s TV Ladies - https://www.80stvladies.com/ 

Website – 134 West - https://134west.biz/ 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/80sTVLadies/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/80stvladies/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@80stvladies 

Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/80sTVLadies

Awards

2024 Women in Podcasting, Nominee in Entertainment – VOTE at https://womeninpodcasting.net/80s-tv-ladies/  

2024 Webby Award – Best Indie Podcast  

2023 People’s Choice Podcast Awards - Best Art, Best TV & Film, Best Female Hosted 

MENTIONS

Podcast Episodes

80s TV Ladies (24 May 2023) – Advanced TV Herstory w/ Cynthia Bemis Abrams, Part One - https://www.80stvladies.com/episode/episode-201-welcome-to-season-2-advanced-tv-herstory-w-cynthia-bemis-abram-part-1

80s TV Ladies (31 May 2023) – Advanced TV Herstory w/ Cynthia Bemis Abrams, Part Two - https://www.80stvladies.com/episode/episode-202-advanced-tv-herstory-aw-cynthia-bemis-abrams-part-two

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus (11 Apr 2023) – Jane Fonda on Female Friendships - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jane-fonda-on-female-friendships/id1678559416?i=1000608248297

Shows

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cagney and Lacey, China Beach, Designing Women, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Grey’s Anatomy, Lou Grant, My So-Called Life, Murphy Brown, Remington Steele, and Scarecrow and Mrs. King 

People

Annie Potts, Barney Rosenzweig, Diane English, Eilish Zebrasky, Eugenie Ross-Leming, Geena Davis, Jean Smart, Juanita Bartlett, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, Melissa Roth, Neema Barnette, Sergio Perez, Sharon Gless, Shonda Rhimes, Stephanie Zimbalist, and Tyne Daly 

Books 

Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women by Susan Faludi - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backlash:_The_Undeclared_War_Against_American_Women 

Lou Grant: The Making of TV’s Top Newspaper Drama by Douglass K. Daniel – https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/288376.Douglass_K_Daniel 

CYNTHIA BEMIS ABRAMS AND ATVH

ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com

Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/ 

Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com

Email - advancedtvherstory@gmail.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory

X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/tvherstory

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia

Bluesky Social - https://bsky.app/profile/cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social

PRODUCTION

Video - Nivia Lopez - https://nivialopez.com/

Audio - Marilou Marosz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/

Music - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/

Welcome to our annual anniversary episode where I share thoughts on the podcast's evolution —improvements, opportunities, and what’s in store for the future. With this look back at the podcast highlights and TV moments that have taught us and inspired us, I also recommit to our mission:  Connecting the dots of feminism & TV and American politics & culture.

Can you believe we’re heading into our 10th year?! When I started the podcast in 2015, I wasn’t sure where Advanced TV Herstory would go. But it's important to reflect on one's work, solicit and discuss feedback, and provide context for viewing the cultural mirror that defines American television. In today’s environment, simply put, this work feels more vital than ever.

About that feedback. How are we doing? What can we do better? What topics are of particular interest to you? Please connect at any of the resources listed below. Better yet, subscribe to the Advanced TV Herstory newsletter for special content and a more personalized space to explore and exchange. Your information is NEVER shared and, like the podcast, our newsletter is completely ad free. 

As always, thank you for listening and being part of the Advanced TV Herstory community. Cheers to another year!

CYNTHIA BEMIS ABRAMS AND ATVH

ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com

Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/ 

Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com

Email - advancedtvherstory@gmail.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory

X (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/tvherstory

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia

Bluesky Social - https://bsky.app/profile/cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social

PRODUCTION

Video - Nivia Lopez - https://nivialopez.com/

Audio - Marilou Marosz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/

Music - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/

We know her as Meemaw, Mary Jo Shively, Emmie Sims, and the voice of Bo Peep. But Annie Potts is hooked on helping others—she’s very hands on—and she’s here to tell us about that part of her life. In doing so, she inspires us with her commitment and challenges us to “turn the car around.”

Annie’s charitable organization, The Heart Channels, provides direct support quickly and creatively to people at critical crossroads in their life. Its mission reflects what Annie witnessed growing up—that wherever there was a need, people opened their hearts and quietly stepped in to help however they could.  

The Heart Channels also mirrors Annie’s belief that we are one human family, no matter where on the planet we are. By opening our eyes to the needs of others, we can respond lovingly and immediately—neighbor to neighbor and heart to heart.

I hope you’ll join us for this very special discussion. And please consider helping out. All donations to The Heart Channels—100%—are tax deductible and go directly to people in need.

FOLLOW AND DONATE TO THE HEART CHANNELS

The Heart Channels - https://www.theheartchannels.org/

On Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theheartchannels

On Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theheartchannels/

CONNECT WITH ANNIE POTTS

Cameo (all proceeds go to The Heart Channels) - https://www.cameo.com/anniepotts

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thisisanniepotts/?hl=en

CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY

ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com

Website - https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/

Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/advancedtvherstory/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/tvherstory

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Media.Cynthia

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@advancedtvherstory/featured

PRODUCTION

Podcast Editing - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariloumarosz/

Music by Jahzzar - https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/

The Facts of Life & Living Single fans, enjoy a candid walk down memory lane in this interview with 40 year TV veteran Kim Fields. From parenting to finding voice, confidence and strength in this demanding world, our conversation covers it all, yet still leaves more to be discovered in her just-released autobiography, Blessed Life.

A few decisions transformed "A Different World" from a struggling, rudderless sitcom to the classic it became. Much of that was due to Debbie Allen stepping in as creative force and aligning the set, characters and plots to align more closely with an authentic Historically Black College & University (HBCU) experience.

Listen to the University of Michigan's nationally recognized Dr. Robin Means Coleman recount her research, which is found in essay form within Beretta Smith-Shomade's book Watching While Black: Centering the Television of Black Audiences.

Southgate Media Group podcast marathon, Elgin, IL

Feb. 26, 1996 CBS Monday night line-up, 4 women-centric sitcoms

Elizabeth Taylor's "Black Pearls" perfume line launch

The Nanny, Fran Dresher, 3rd season - directed by Dorothy Lyman

Can't Hurry Love, one season, starring Mariska Hargitay and Nancy McKeon

Murphy Brown, 8th season episode co-written by Diane English and Sarah Dunn

High Society, one short season starring Mary McDonnell and Jean Smart.

Cross promotion genius

Special live taping at Chicago's iO Theater, PodSlam is a fundraiser for pediatric cancer (Connor's Cure) & the V Foundation

Women wrestling on TV, frequent plot during the 70s & 80s; good vs. evil, Americans vs. Russians

Physical conflict, agency, defense, aggressiveness - all real aspects of life that we SHOULD be able to see women on TV express.

Resurgence: Netflix series GLOW (2017)

Vintage: Laverne & Shirley, season 3 episode 2; The Bionic Woman, season 2 episode 3; Dynasty, season 3 episode 23

It was the late 1970s and Norman Lear and Tandem Productions were on a winning streak. Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams draws the family tree of hits All in the Family, Maude and Good Times. Good Times, which aired 1974 to 1980 broke ground in many ways and Cynthia ties its development to a 1965 Federal Report: “The Negro Family: The Case for National Action." Before Good Times hit production, there was controversy over the Evans' family structure: single mother or nuclear family

Listen in to hear how and why Esther Rolle & John Amos stood firm to the family being led by two parents and how they endured six difficult seasons. Cynthia also pays tribute to Esther Rolle's lifetime record of civil rights activism.

Key resource: Christine Acham's Revolution Televised: Prime Time and the Struggle for Black Power, (University of Minnesota Press, 2005) 

Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams explores an international understanding of American feminism with Austrian cultural studies student Julia Krassnik. Julia has studied Susan Sontag's 1972 article on stereotypes and applied it to the timing and ensemble cast of Battlestar Galactica, which aired 2004-2009.

Cynthia and Julia discuss the Roslin character's defiance of stereotypes and her interest in power, leading a team through uncertain times and situations.

It changed the use and capacity of a Public Service Announcement (PSA). Tune in to hear host Cynthia Bemis Abrams explore wow the ASPCA landed famed-Canadian feminist singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan and her hit, Angel.

Cynthia details the record-setting amount raised by the PSA effort and explores the tactics that raised visibility, yet invited discord.